Southeast Asia forum

Think

My understanding is that largely you'll only get work in the international schools throughout SE Asia, and some highly rated gov't schools.

In both cases, they have enough applicants to ensure a qualification hurdle - unless you've got some special wanted skill.

In the first instance, go check the various postings at:

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/work/esl/asia.shtml

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In Thailand, to be paid properly (at Thai rates) I believe so. Go to:

http://www.teachinginthailand.net/

FYI also look at:

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0409/international_careers_in_thailand.shtml

That said, maybe you may like to read:

http://www.stickmanbangkok.com/Reader/reader1363.htm

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For Vietnam most definitely so. Go to:

http://www.transitionsabroad.com/publications/magazine/0701/teaching_english_in_vietnam.shtml

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My understanding is that jobs are infrequent.

Hope this helps

Cheers

Many, many people, including a friend of mine who was only 19 at the time, have found jobs teaching in Thailand without a degree. There is a huge demand for English teachers and though you might not find the best-paying job, and you might have to look harder and further afield from the major cities, you can certainly find work with just a TEFL certificate. When a teacher is needed badly, a lot of schools will somehow go around the degree requirement law. Further, there are plenty of "off the radar" private tutoring jobs in Vietnam and Thailand that can be found simply by putting up flyers and networking the right places, such as communites of Chinese, Korean or Japanese living in SE Asia. For a lot of great insight about teaching in Thailand, you should really check out www.ajarn.com if you haven't already.

I'm not positive about Cambodia or other countries, but I'm pretty sure that some schools throughout SE Asia (not so much in Taiwan, Japan and South Korea) are willing to overlook a lack of degree if you have a TEFL certificate, you're clean cut and presentable, and you seem to be a good fit for the job. That said, I personally wouldn't pick up and move out there without a degree and expect things to work out well, but there are many who have decided they didn't want to go home and found work without a degree.

You can't get a work permit unless you have a degree so bear in mind that you'd be teaching illegally. Without a work permit you could get deported after a stay in prison.

This actually happened to one English teacher at Mahidol University, one of the top universities in Thailand. Although he had all the necessary qualifications, the university dragged its feet with the paperwork and he'd had to start teaching before his WP was through. Entirely the university's fault but they didn't lift a finger to help him when he got caught.

They did however speed the necessary paperwork up after that. When I taught at Mahidol they got my work permit sorted in about a week ...which is incredibly fast.

I also know someone who paid for a decent TEFL course in Thailand and failed to get a job in Bangkok afterwards because he didn't have a degree. He had to go home after a couple of months when his money ran out. That was a couple of years ago though. Schools may be more desperate for teachers now, but remember that if you do work then you will be working illegally.